For the first time in the Algarve, wheelchair users or people with reduced mobility will be able to take a walk along the Ria Formosa as well as bathing with a crane, effortlessly and with little or no help., through the Algarvian Queen, a boat also adapted for this purpose.
The idea came from Paulo Gonçalves, an entrepreneur from the Algarve and CEO of Ria Formosa Boat Tours.
With the business visibly impacted, in a region dependent on tourism, Paulo Gonçalves «has added another piece to an equation that is innovative, and that makes a difference for those who use a wheelchair», says a press release sent by the company to the newsrooms. .
“We decided to build a crane, with a winch, and adapt a system that already existed but had never been tried on a boat. And we did it!», explains Paulo Gonçalves.
“It is the first boat in the Algarve not only to allow easy access for people with normal or electric seats, but also to provide them with the possibility of transitioning from the chair into the water without effort”, he adds.
At first, the idea raised some reticence, but a trip on board and a practical demonstration were enough to convince João Nunes, owner of Foxi, the company that represents the reputable Handi-Move (equipment for people with reduced mobility).
For João Nunes, seeing the system working in the middle of the Ria was a great surprise: «As far as I know, it's the first time they've been doing this. I knew it existed on a pier, but I had never seen it on a boat. I had some reservations, to see if the safety conditions were observed, but I was very surprised with the technical solutions that Paulo Gonçalves found, the distances, the rotation, he thought everything very well and found an ingenious way to put it into practice. ».
To test the “machine” in the first instance, Paulo Gonçalves invited «an Algarvian and longtime friend who was paralyzed due to a motorcycle accident: Filipe Nascimento, or PimPim for friends».
«I think it's impeccable, I managed to enter alone and the boat is spacious… I think people have that desire, but it fades when there are no conditions. There are still few experiences thought out, 20 years ago there was nothing, in the last two years it has improved a lot, I think it is a trend that will not be able to escape», says Filipe Nascimento.
But Filipe Nascimento did not come alone and decided to invite Salvador Mendes de Almeida, «one of the most visible faces in Portugal in the fight for better conditions for people with reduced mobility».
«I found Paulo's concern not only to facilitate entry but also this concern to take us into the water fantastic, because the Ria Formosa is beautiful! I would go into the water anyway, but being able to do it in total safety with that crane is spectacular!” says the founder and president of Associação Salvador.
For Salvador Mendes de Almeida, the ride on the Ria Formosa “slipped on wheels”, but in this case, four, as he decided to take the electric chair, which entered without any difficulty.
«The good thing about this boat is that you can bring a manual chair, but it also accommodates an electric one. And this is very convenient. The boat has a very wide door, it's easy to get in, has a lot of space, and the inflatable seats are also very good because they can be removed allowing us to get close to the edge».
The metal crane is fixed to the boat and allows people to be lifted and lowered into the water, with little or no help – depending on the severity of the paralysis.
Users sit in leggings that fit around their legs and also find armrests. With its own weight, the system closes around the person, who is safe but with the possibility of freeing himself when he starts to float in the water.
«I think the icing on the cake is that crane. I was afraid, I have quadriplegia, PimPim has paraplegia, that is, he has more mobility. I still tried and felt super safe! It was great», recalls Salvador Mendes de Almeida, who encourages other users to do the experiment.
“People must go calm. Paulo and the team are super-accessible, transmit a lot of confidence and calm. There are vests and that area of the Ria has no undulations. Another advantage is that Paulo has known the Ria since he was a kid and this is important for choosing the routes, which change according to the tides», concludes Salvador.
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